Report: Israel Looking for Proof that Iran is Violating Deal

The Sunday Times says that PM Netanyahu has ordered intelligence to find "the smoking gun" proving that Iran is breaking the deal it signed.

By Elad Benari

First Publish: 12/2/2013, 4:13 AM

nuclear reactor

Flash 90

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has ordered his intelligence chiefs to find evidence that Iran is breaking the interim deal to curb its nuclear program, the British Sunday Times reports.

The newspaper cited Israeli defense sources who said that both Mossad and AMAN, Israel’s main branch of military intelligence, will search for proof of subterfuge before the deal, under which Tehran agrees to curb its nuclear activities in return for relief from sanctions, expires in May.

“Everyone has his own view regarding the Geneva agreement,” one Israeli intelligence source told the Sunday Times. “But it is clear that if a smoking gun is produced, it will tumble like a house of cards.”

The report also said that Israeli spies were ordered to uncover any Iranian attempts to continue uranium enrichment in secret nuclear sites or to produce ballistic missiles as well as any attempts to design or construct a nuclear bomb.

Israeli officials on Sunday refused to comment on the report when contacted by the Chinese Xinhua news agency.

Israel has been a vocal critic of the deal reached last week between Iran and the West, saying the agreement left Iran dangerously close to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

This position has put Netanyahu at odds with President Barack Obama, who reportedly asked Netanyahu to “take a breather” from his criticism of the deal.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has announced that Iran is building a second nuclear power plant in Bushehr, the Fars news agency reported Sunday.

Rouhani also took a tough line regarding his country’s nuclear facilities over the weekend, telling the Financial Times that Iran will not dismantle its nuclear facilities as part of a permanent deal with the West.